


Moments Brighter Than I Have Dreamed

by Kosaji



Series: Love is a Universe Beyond Faith's Last Doubt [2]
Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/F, Gen, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-05-21 15:09:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14917688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kosaji/pseuds/Kosaji
Summary: Kyouko and Haru go on dates, learn to love each other and fall deeper into the Mafia. Not in that order.





	1. Chapter 1

She spends their first date watching Haru blush and flail as they eat crepes at the park. 

Kyouko thinks her diet is gong to be ruined but that's okay, shooting shy glances at Haru when she's not watching.  

The second date goes much smoother. 

"Hi!" Haru opens the door to her house and ushers Kyouko in. "Welcome to my home!"

The house is nice, very similar in style to her own but with a wider yard. Kyouko and Haru go up to Haru's room, which is different than what Kyouko expected. 

The manga and dolls she expected, they spent yesterday talking about their old stuffed toys, but the ones on the shelves are new, and with a closer look, handmade. 

"Haru-chan, did you MAKE these?" Kyouko picks up a small turtle with a sweater in amazement. 

Haru blushes and covers her face with her hands. "Yes, I do it sometimes as a hobby. I mean, also the kids a the hospital really like it when I bring them toys and also the festival the class always puts on a play and-"

"That's so cool! You're really talented," Kyoko interrupts, looking at the tight, almost invisible stitches along the back of a stuffed owl. 

"You, you really think so?" Haru asks, peeking between her fingers down at Kyouko. 

"Of course, why wouldn't I?" Kyouko asks, and jumps in surprise as Haru hugs her tightly. 

"Haru-chan?"

"It's nothing!" Haru jumps back up, and heads to the life size bust in the middle of the room. "If Kyouko-chan doesn't think its too weird, can I make a costume for you?" Haru asks, spinning around to face Kyouko with a nervous smile.

"Me?" Kyouko pauses in her examination of the toys. "Are you sure? I thought you needed help with your costume for the festival?"

"That's fine," Haru waves her off to pull open her closet door to reveal the monster costume, already complete and in its bag. "I finished it last night!" 

That explains the bandages around her fingers, Kyouko thinks, stepping forward. "Alright, but what are you making?"

"A dress! Kyouko-chan is going to be my new MUSE and I'll make so many pretty clothes for you to wear!" Haru claps happily, eyes growing misty and dreamy.

That's... a lot. Kyouko thinks. She really didn't need that many clothes, and doesn't making clothes take a long time? "Are you sure? I don't think I need that many clothes" 

"It's fine, its fine. I always wanted to make clothes for someone else. The drama club usually lets me help out for their plays but those are all designs someone else made, these are my own!" Haru holds up a notebook with sketches of dresses and patterns that Kyouko doesn't understand. What she does understand is that the book is well loved, with carefully colored and labelled diagrams and edges that are soft with wear and held together with tape. 

"Haru-chan did you want to be a fashion designer when you grow up?"

"What? Haru gasps and turns red. "Oh no, I just couldn't . I just like making clothes, its a hobby you know."

"But you're really good!" Kyouko insists, flipping through the book. She stops at a dark green dress, not Japanese but western style with a high neckline and pretty round sleeves.

"Oh, this one is cute."

Haru looks over her shoulder and makes a noise of glee. "Oh, I can make that one, no problem. Don't worry Kyouok-can I'll get this dress ready for you in no time"

"Wait, I didn't mean-" Kyouko tries to stop her. She just thinks the dress is pretty, she didn't mean she wanted one!

"It's fine, I like making clothes. And now I can make them for someone who's not me!" Haru cheers and she pulls rolls of fabric and a measuring tape out of thin air.   
Kyouko feels just a little overwhelmed at this intense, focused Haru but submits her her attention.

Later on, after playing mannequin Kyouko realizes that it's one of the most fun she's had in ages. Haru talks a lot, and doesn't expect anything except for a listening ear, which is great since Kyouok doesn't have to talk much. But it isn't like she is ignored either, Haru keeps asking her how she was doing, and if she needed a break.

It's nice, being the absolute center of someone's attention like that, Kyouko thinks.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TYL Arc

Their eighth date isn't really a date. 

They get sent to the future apparently, and are in a dangerous situation. All Reborn will say is to trust Tsuna and the boys to somehow get them back safely. 

Kyouko frowns at the dishes, scrubbing harder. Keeping the place clean and everyone fed is a time consuming task, which she needs if only to keep the frustration at bay. Behind her Haru is sweeping the floor as they clean up after lunch while the boys go an train some more. 

"Kyouko-chan?" Haru drops a hand on Kyouko's shoulder. 

Kyouko sighs and leans back into Haru. This touching is new for them. Pats on the shoulder, hugs, leaning against each other for support, after being stranded with no way to go home yet, with no REASON why they are here in the first place a friendly touch goes a long way. 

"I'm fine, just tired," Kyouko says, pulling away from Haru and scrubbing the dishes with renewed vigor. 

"Hmm, " Haru says behind her back but the sounds of the broom sweeping against the floor fills the air again and Kyouko relaxes, easing up to scrub more gently.

"Hey, do you want to go collect vegetables from the garden for dinner?" Haru asks.

Dinner? They just finished lunch.

"Isn't it a little early-?" Kyouko cuts herself off once she looks at Haru, really looks at her. There is tightness at the corner of Haru's eyes that wasn't there before, and all her fingernails, usually kept short and neat are all bitten to the quick. Kyouko shuts her mouth with sharp realization. She isn't the only one stressed out from being here.

"Okay," Kyouko says and Haru smiles, small but bright. 

How did she not notice Haru's smiles losing their brightness?

The dishes are done quickly, and the floor swept and the counters wiped down before they walk to the indoor greenhouse that somehow manages to sustain a large garden with many fruits and vegetables. 

Haru sighs and stretches her arms out in front of her. "Isn't this nice? You can almost feel the breeze!" Haru laughs but it trails off into the silence when Kyouko doesn't join her, and Haru looks to the ground. "Sorry, I'm not being fun am I? I just thought it might be nice to stay somewhere bright for a little bit."

Somewhere that's not covered in grey steel, Kyouko thinks, looking at the field of green. She reaches out and grabs Haru's hand and pulls her down the path.

"Kyouko-chan?" Haru asks, voice just a bit worried as they walk in silence.

Kyouko bites her lip, shaking her head slightly. "I'm sorry," she says, coming to a stop in between the rows of tomatoes. It's here, among the smell of fresh soil and growing things that she can relax, and uncoil the tension she carries around with her. "I haven't been a good soulmate have I?"

Haru shakes her head, her hair flying with the movement, "No, of course not! It's a dangerous situation!" Kyouko cracks a smile at Haru's declaration of _~dangerous~_.

"And," Haru reaches up to tuck Kyouko's hair away from her face. "It's not my family going out to fight. Tsuna-san is an important friend but he isn't my brother."

And like that Kyouko's walls crumble and she drops her head on Haru's shoulder as her face screws up and tears fall from her eyes. 

"I don't want him to get hurt," she whispers to Haru, who just holds her tightly, "I don't want any of them to get hurt but the raid is tomorrow and they might not come back!" He hands tighten on Haru's shirt, wrinkling the fabric but she doesn't care. Her friends are going to fight, have been training to fight ever since they came to this place. The one time they went out Gokudera and Yamamoto came back with such serious wounds. Her brother is going to go out there with them and he might be twenty six now instead of fifteen but he still gets in over his head!

"Kyouko-chan, do you trust Tsuna-san?" Haru asks, Kyouko blinks back her tears and sniffles.

"Yes," she says and Haru pulls back to beam at her, face set with determination.

"Then don't lose faith! He promised he wouldn't let us stay stuck here long, and when its' really important, Tsuna-san doesn't let us down!" Haru says, shifting her grip down so she's holding Kyouko's hands instead of her shoulders. 

Well, Tsuna can be flaky when it comes to homework, classwork, and groups projects but Kyouko thinks of running into him out in the hall, the way he was looking for the omamori she made for him and nods, strengthening her resolve. She'll stay strong and have faith in her friends.

-

That resolve is hard to hold onto when they come back, with another battle to train for and no answers forthcoming. 

"Just what is going on?" Kyouko laments to Haru as they stay in their rooms. The strike has gone on for two days and already she's heard three explosions from the kitchen and two from the laundry room where the machines broke from bubble overload. Just how much detergent did Yamamoto use anyways? Does his dad do all the laundry at home?

"Some answers would be nice," Haru sighs as she rummages through the bag Hana from the future gave Kyouko. Apart from the snack and toys for the kids Hana packed some essentials for Kyouko, as well as some things just for fun. 

"Blue or pink?" Haru asks, holding up two different nail polish bottles. 

"Blue," Kyouko sighs and holds out her hands. It's been a while since they have had this much free time. Cooking for a large number of people and keeping everything clean took time and more effort than she thought, leaving her drained at the end of the day. 

"It's been a while since I had the chance to do a manicure, housework really is hard on your hands!" Haru says, dipping the brush into the polish and carefully dragging it down each nail. "Do you think we should invite Chrome over too?"

"Maybe later, she's also training hard," Kyouko says, thinking back to the bath, and that large wound on Chrome's back. Haru's fingers tighten on the brush but remain gentle on Kyouko's hands as she turns them to reach another nail. She switches hands and admires the gloss on the sky blue polish. If they weren't on strike the manicure would be gone in a matter of hours, between the dishes and cleaning and food collection...

Speaking of, did any of the boys know how to cook? She and Haru made meals for themselves and the kids but that is about the extent of it. Anything else the boys had to make themselves. 

"Kyouko-chan," Haru keeps her eyes on Kyouko's nails. "If we go back home, do you think it will be the same?"

Kyouko tlts her head, thinking it over. Will it? She thinks of what she saw in this world, the fights and the strange flames Tsuna and the others use. She thinks of the bunker, and how she now knows how to ration out food supplies to last when before the answer would be to go to the grocery store.

"No, I think too much has changed. I think WE have changed," Kyouko says at last, pulling both hands carefully away from Haru to keep from messing up the nail polish.

"Yeah," Haru says, capping the bottle and collapsing down onto her pillow. Kyouko carefully turns on the small desk fan, placing her hands in front to dry her nails as Haru rolls to her stomach.

"...what if what's going on changes things?" Haru asks, voice muffled by a pillow.

"Huh?"

"I mean," Haru shifts guiltily, head still down and away from Kyouko's line of sight. "What if what's really going on is something that normal people would stay away from? Something dangerous?"

"Haru-chan..." Dangerous? Kyouko knows that things are dangerous, Haru does too. They aren't stupid! Someone threatened to kill her the second she entered this world, Haru too. Just because she didn't bring anything up before doesn't mean she's just going to let it keep happening.

"...If it was dangerous I would still like to know," Kyouko says. "The boys won't tell us anything, because Tsuna-kun said so and I just. I don't like that they keep making decisions for me, for us instead of letting us make our own choices."

"It's not like that."

Kyouko jumps and Haru slides off her pillow with a squeak as Chrome peeks her head into the room. 

"Sorry, I was eavesdropping," Chrome says, cheeks flushed but eyes steady. "But, I don't think you understand what the boys are going through either."

Haru sits up, an indignant look on her face. Kyouko watches Chrome, eyes the red bruise hidden underneath her shirt collar and motions her to come inside. "Then can you explain it to us? I don't want to be ungrateul but I really don't want to be left out of the loop," Kyouko asks as Chrome hesitantly takes a seat on the blanket covered floor. 

"Um," whatever bravery that led Chrome to interrupt girl's night looks to dessert her, and she stares down at her hands clasped over her knees. "I think it's more that the boys want to protect you, and if you know more than you do now then you won't be as safe."

"But how? How does that keep us any safer? We didn't know anything about what was happening the past month, just that people were after us and we're in hiding," Haru says, tears filling up her eyes. 

"We should know what's going on, its our lives we're talking about here," Kyouko says, clenching her fists.

"But its us who are putting our lives on the line for the sake of yours," Chrome points out, and Kyouko falls silent. "I understand that you might feel scared or-"

"We aren't scared, we just want to be able to help!" Haru says, wiping away her tears. Kyouko nods as Chrome looks at the two of them in surprise. 

"It's hard, being left behind," Kyouko says, trying to explain with her words. Hana is right, she really isn't good at this. "I know they appreciate our support but its really hard, knowing that they are going out to fight and there's nothing we can do to help."

And not knowing anything, just that the raid was only partially sucessful makes it worse. Just what is going on that everyone is training even harder than before for?

"I think just by being there you help a lot," Chrome says, not looking at either of them, "Sometimes knowing that there are people waiting for you to come home, knowing that there's someone who _wants_ you to come home helps a lot."

The way she says it, the wistfulness in her words and the eyes makes Kyouko remember what Bianchi told them about Chrome, about how little kindess there was in her life and she deflates, reaching out to Chrome to grasp her hand.

"Alright."

"Kyouko-chan," Haru asks. 

Kyouko turns to face Haru with a wry smile. "Let's stop the strike."

Chrome tugs at her hand and Kyouko turns to see her watching Kyouko with wide eyes. "Really, just like that?" She asks, titling her head to the side, watching Kyouko like she's never seen her before.

"You have a point," Kyouko says with a bitter smile. "We're aren't the ones fighting. Even if we don't like it, even if we worry, the best thing for us to the is try and support them any way we can. Besides," she turns to Haru. "You were planning on waking up early to take care of the kitchen right? I saw you set your alarm."

They all share a laugh as Haru yelps and hides her alarm clock.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hana meets Chrome!

The week after they return to their normal time, Kyouko and Haru barge into Kokoyu Land and steal Chrome.

Well, they tried to anyways. For some reason they keep getting lost and turned around until Chrome finds them. Then they steal her away to go shopping.

"You really don't have to do this," Chrome protests again as Haru holds up a white shirt with frilly sleeves against her shoulders.

"Nonsense, we're friends aren't we?" Haru says, discarding the shirt and grabbing one in blue with capped sleeves. Kyouko nods firmly next to them, one eye trained on the window of the boutique they're at.

Hana walks down the streets and almost past the three of them when Kyouko manages to spot her.

"Hana-chan!" Kyouko runs out the door to wave her hand wildly. Hana turns to face her and changes direction, parting the crowd with her straightforward walk and no-nonsense face. 

"Hey, sorry I'm late." Kyouko waves aside the apology to pull Hana into the store. Haru is still in the same aisle, helping Chrome pick out a dress when they both look up to see them.

"Hi Hana-chan!" Haru smiles and waves. Chrome looks curiously at Hana, standing slightly behind Haru.

"Hana-chan, this is Chrome-chan," Kyouko feels Hana freeze but continues on, keeping her arm linked tightly through Hana's, "Chrome-chan this is my friend Kurokawa Hana." Kyouko sees Chrome's eye widen and her cheeks bloom red.

"Subtle you are not," Hana whispers into Kyouko's ear. She's probably pay for springing Hana's soulmate on her but for now-

"Haru and I have to go see the movie now, why don't the two of you finish shopping?" Kyouko says, letting go of Hana once she's certain her friend won't run off or pull her ear. She motions towards the exit and Haru follows her lead, still looking confused but smiling through it as they power walk away from where she can feel Hana glaring at their backs. 

"What was that all about?" Haru asks once they are safely of sight. Her arms are crossed over her chest and she looks at Kyouko with a disapproving expression.

"Sorry, sorry," Kyouko holds her hands up, "I just wanted those two to meet ever since I met Chrome. They're soulmates."

Haru's eyes widen and she grins in excitement. An answering grin stretches across her own lips as Haru squeals "Really?" into the air. Laughing she pulls Haru down the street, just in case Hana is feeling vengeful and hunts them down, soulmate or no soulmate. 

"Ever since we got back. I didn't want Chrome to feel lonely either, and I know Hana was worried about her soulmate being a boy," Kyouko makes a face, beaming as Haru muffles a laugh.

They both know of Hana's distaste of boys, especially boys her age.

"Do we really have a movie to go to?" Haru asks as they pass by the movie theater. 

Kyouko smiles and holds up two tickets to the historical drama playing as Haru jumps in place.

"I've been wanting to see that!"

"I know," Kyouko says and links their arms together as they enter the theater.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Haru and Kyouko have a fight- don't worry they make up.

 

Their first fight happens after one of their sleepovers.

Kyouko brushes her teeth as Haru wanders through her room, cleaning up. They agreed that sleepovers didn't count as dates, because half the time Hana was invited and she didn't want to lose all her teeth before twenty (doesn't she ever let a joke go?).

Kyouko makes breakfast for the two of them as Ryouhei rushes past, heading out for his morning run.

"Your brother is really energetic," Haru says around her omelette.

Kyouko just sighs and sets aside an omelette for him in the oven, sitting down to eat her own meal. They eat quickly, planning to head to the library for a study date. Kyouko has a test in math and Haru has a paper to write.

They make it to the library just as it opens, taking seats at an open table and laying out their books across from each other.

Kyouko is neck deep in problem sets when Haru starts giggling. She raises her head to see her with both hands clamped over her mouth, shoulders shaking as she looks at an open book.

"Haru-chan?" Kyouko tilts her head curiously and leans over.

Haru has a book on various animals open to a page on birds, specifically one on swallows. The bird in the picture is a lovely blue swallow which is sitting on...

"Is that a baseball?" Kyouko asks, leaning over the table. Yamamoto has a swallow as a box animal and the coincidence is a little uncanny.

Haru snorts and breaks down laughing, crawling underneath the table.

"Look at the other page!" She gasps out, still trying to keep her voice down. Kyouko shakes her head with a smile and turns to where Haru placed a pencil as a bookmark, to a section about dogs to see a Shibi Inu laying on the stone with a baseball under its chin.

"These describe Yamamoto perfectly," Kyouko says with a small laugh. Though she really can't see what's so funny that Haru's nearly has a conniption.

"No, no. Which one reminds you of Yamamoto the most?" Haru demands, straightening up and climbing back into her seat.

Kyouko frowns, thinking. Yes, Yamamoto was like a puppy almost, and just as quick as a bird but it still doesn't really describe him.

"Hmm, maybe a wolf?" Kyouko says, turning the pages until she gets to a generic page on wolves.

"Really?" Haru asks, getting back up in her seat. "Aren't wolves scary though?"

And Kyouko gives her girlfriend a side eye. "Yamamoto killed someone in that game and he was okay with it," she reminds her, feeling a little bad when Haru ducks her head with a frown. "I'm not saying he's evil or anything, just..." Kyouko doesn't know how to explain it. The sense of danger that screams at her when Yamamoto gets that blank and empty look in his eye. It's gone now, coming out less and less ever since he made friends with Tsuna, but there is a reason she shuts down any conversation about Yamamoto and her dating.

"He seems happier now that he's spending so much time with Hibari-san," Haru comments, flipping the pages of the book.

Now that's new. "Really?" Kyouko asks, wondering how she missed that. They go different schools, how does Haru have more information than she does?

"I saw them drinking tea at a cafe when we went to the movies last month," Haru says before pointing at the book. "Oh, look, it says that wolves are pack animals. Makes sense since Yamamoto likes working in teams so much!"

Kyouko smiles and reaches for the book, flipping through the pages. "You know, Haru-chan you remind of this," she stops at a page depicting a bottle nosed dolphin. "Fun and intelligent and likes to hang in large social groups."

"Hahi!"

Kyouko laughs, "That cute noise you make fits too!" She smiles as Haru turns red under her praise.

"Mou! Lemme see the book, we'll find an animal for you too!" Haru declares, flipping through the book. Kyouko laughs quietly, and reaches for another book on animals, homework forgotten as they dig through the pages.

"Tsuna-kun would be a lion, won't he?" Kyouko mentions, writing it on a sheet of paper. ‘Which Animal Are You is written’ on top, with Yamamoto's and Haru's names underneath next to their animals.

"Hmm," Haru thinks. "It fits, but what about a phoenix? He flies around with fire too." She turns a book on mythical creatures towards Kyouko, open to a page on a fire red bird with its wings outstretched.

"That fits too, we can put both down and come back to it later," Kyouko says. "What about a cat for Gokudera-kun?"

Haru pauses to think, "He does bristle up like one," she admits grudgingly, as Kyouko writes down cat next to Gokudera's name.

"Oh, Kyouko, this one suits you perfectly!" Haru declares, holding up the book. A red furry animal looks back at her from underneath a snow covered branch.

"Red pandas?" Kyouko asks, taking the book from Haru.

"Yeah, cute and smart!" Haru says, scribbling it down on their list. They manage to get through their immediate group of friends as well as the people Tsuna surrounds himself with (they both shudder and declare Hibari a panther after one look at the cat's intense eyes in the book). Looking over the list Kyouko tilts her head, tapping over Tsuna's entry.  A phoenix suits him, she thinks as her stomach clenches at the memory of flying through the air, watching Tsuna burst into flames to protect them from the Milliefiore. She never really thought of him like that, beautiful yet dangerous. It's like there are two Tsunas almost, the normal one who's clumsy and smiles a lot and the mafia one, who's like all of Tsuna's determination focused to a sharp point, the one who comes out when danger is near.

It was hard for Kyouko to reconcile the boy she sees everyday, laughing with his friends and playing games with the one who can shoot fire from his hands.

But Haru has. 

"Haru-chan?"

"Yes?" Haru looks up at with a smile.

Kyouko sucks her lip between her teeth. She doesn’t want to do this, but she needs to know. "How long have you known Tsuna-kun was in the mafia?"

Haru freezes. A pit forms in her stomach.

"That long?" she asks when Haru continues to stare at her, fidgeting with her hands in her lap.

It was the little things that tip her off. The way Haru never blinked at Gokudera's bombs, the way she never questions why Reborn keeps talking about the Family (she can hear the capital letter). How during their trip to the future she was always less nervous than Kyouko, even before Tsuna explained everything.

Haru nods miserably and- it hurts a little bit. She knows its silly, that soulmates don't have to share everything with each other but.

She would have still liked to know.

"It's not that I didn't want to tell you!" Haru says, looking at her with earnest eyes. "It's just, I didn't know you didn't know until later and I was going to tell you-!"

"But you didn't!" Kyouko says, voice raising without her noticing. "You knew! Back in the base, during those sumo matches- you knew!"

And-Kyouko never realized just how badly that had affected her until now, standing in front of Haru, who's eyes are brimming with tears. She knows she's not the smartest person around, knows that there are things that normal people understand that just go over her head. When Tsuna and his friends stop talking around her she put it off as boy talk but then her brother starts getting into fights again and people start keeping secrets and she's dragged off to the future-

The answers Tsuna gave her were a short lived relief because a few months later, when everything was supposed to be normal, her brother goes off on a "training trip" with Tsuna and Gokudera, and there was that conference at Tsuna's house with so many foreigners and-!

Kyouko doesn't know what's going on anymore.

Wetness hits her clenched fists and she blinks in surprise as another tear falls. Her hands come up to swipe over her eyes, drying her tears as she breathes through her mouth. When she looks up Haru is crying too, shiny tracks cutting through her face.

"I-I need to go," Kyouko says, tongue thick and nose stuffed up. She gathers her things and runs out the door, ignoring Haru's pleas behind her.

-

It's official, her soulmate hates her.

Haru walks down the sidewalk, staring at her feet as she heads home.

I am a terrible soulmate, Haru thinks, sniffing back tears as Kyouko's sad face appears in her mind again. I should have said something, anything and now she hates me!

A low whine escapes her throat as the thought echoes and Haru keeps going over what happened at the library, thinking over and over what she could have done differently.

Nothing, she couldn't do anything, she's a terrible girlfriend AND a terrible soulmate. Who keeps a secret like that from the love of their life? Haru, that's who!

Time seems to move like syrup as she puts one foot in front of the other, not paying attention to where she's going, not caring really when she bumps into a familiar chest. There's a half-hearted snarl from the side that Haru ignores out of habit as she steps back, an apology on her lips.

"Haru?" She looks up to see wide brown eyes and bursts into tears.

Hands flail in the corner of her vision before settling on her shoulders, leading her into a house which she belatedly recognizes as Tsuna's. They march inside, past where Lambo and I-pin peer curiously from the yard, up the stairs and into Tsuna's room.

There's a quick scuffle as dirty laundry, trash and assorted manga are moved around to make room for Haru at the short table, Tsuna sitting adjacent to her while Gokudera takes up guard at the doorway. Tsuna offers her a box of tissues, which she takes with shaky thanks, blowing her nose and wiping the rest of her tears away.

"Haru, is there something wrong? " Tsuna's eyes are wide with worry, completely focused on her.

Haru's never had friends, was the girl who's too loud or into weird things. She never really fits in with the cosplay club, and even the events she volunteers at are done alone, with no one to help. And deep in her heart something aches at how Tsuna sits, waiting for her to talk. with worried eyes. Even Gokudera looks concerned, even if he's scowling when his eyes meet hers.

She has friends _ (maybe) _ who she can talk to, can confide in.

_ (Maybe they won't hate her) _

"Kyouko-chan and I got in a fight," Haru blurts out, eyes closed to keep from seeing their expressions. "She got mad that I didn't tell her about the mafia stuff and then I made her cry and I'm A TERRIBLE SOULMATE!" Haru cries, clutching the tissue box as tears drip down her face again.

"Oi, stupid wom- I mean, Miura!"

"Haru!"

Tsuna and Gokudera scramble, both looking very uncomfortable through her tears. Tsuna has his hands out, face screwed up like he can stop her tears with the willpower alone while Gokudera gnaws on his lip, feet apart like he's going into a fight, the dumb boys.

"H-Haru, I'm sure you aren't a bad soulmate!" Tsuna says, and Haru latches onto those words.

"Yes I am, I made her cry! You aren't supposed to make your soulmate cry!" Haru wails. She thinks of Kyouko's eyes wet with tears, and the broken look on her face and cries harder.

"HARU!"

The shout reverberates through her, surprising her out of her crying fit. She hiccups at Tsuna, who's breathing hard and has a surprised look on his face, like he didn't expect the shout either.

"Haru..." Tsuna starts and stops, fidgeting in place. He looks up at her face before gulping, steeling himself. "You aren't a terrible soulmate."

Haru sniffs, eyes tight and itchy. How can she believe that?

"Listen," Tsuna tries again, leaning closer to her, "I don't know what happened between the two of you but you've been dating for over a year now. Maybe if you just try saying sorry it will be okay?"

She looks down at her hands. How could she do that though? She's lied to Kyouko, even if it was by omission, for over a year. How do you say sorry for that?

"...she got mad because I didn't tell her I knew about the mafia," Haru repeats. Gokudera and Tsuna exchange a look and turn back to her, just as lost as she is.

"Just you?" Tsuna asks, backpedaling when Haru glares at him. "I mean- I didn't tell you two about it either and she wasn't that mad," Tsuna trails off, scratching at his cheek.

Stupid Tsuna. “But I’m her soulmate, I shouldn’t have kept it from her.” Out of the corner of her eye she sees Gokudera grimace.

"Have you tried to talk to her yet?” Tsuna asks. He keeps fidgeting in his seat but he doesn’t turn away from her, or says she’s being stupid and over reacting. Haru sniffles and shakes her head, taking deeper breaths to calm down.

“No, not yet.”

“Do you want to ?”

A pause, and Haru nods. There is a part of her that’s still frozen with fear but she still wants to see Kyouko, and maybe fix things between them.

“Alright,” Tsuna says, standing up. “We’ll go get Kyouko-chan then, and you can talk here.”

Haru blinks as Tsuna looks over to Gokudera, who’s alert and opening the door.

“Wait, now?” Haru scrambles to her feet as Tsuna and Gokudera walk out the door.

Tsuna pauses, half turned towards her. “Yes? I mean, she’s been keeping Bianchi company downstairs so-”

“WHAT?”

Haru drops down to the floor again, feeling a little dizzy. “She’s been here the entire time?”

“Only for a little bit! I think Bianchi-san saw her when she was shopping and just brought her back,” Tsuna explains, Gokudera tapping away on his phone next to him. Haru hears footsteps coming up the staircase and freezes as Kyouko turns the corner.

“Tsuna-kun, Bianchi said you wanted to talk about…” Kyouko trails off as she spots Haru, and her stomach sinks at the unhappy frown Kyouko’s face settles into.

“Kyouko-chan, Haru has something she wants to say,” Tsuna says, stepping carefully around Kyouko. “We’ll be downstairs to give you some privacy!”

And Tsuna turns and runs down the stairs, Gokudera a step behind him, leaving Haru and Kyouko alone.

Haru drops her eyes, twisting her fingers together. She opens her mouth and closes it, nothing coming out. It’s like all the words have disappeared and all she can think of is how Kyouko must hate her now. She hears the door shut and bites her lip, her shoulders slumping as tears sting her already swollen eyes.

She looks up at the sound of bare feet on wood  to see Kyouko sitting down across the table from her.

“K-kyouko-chan?”

Kyouko avoids her eyes, looking down at the table. Haru doesn’t know what to say, the silence heavy around her ears as the words stay stuck in her throat.

_ ‘Maybe just try saying sorry?’ _ Tsuna’s voice echoes in her head and she takes a deep breath.

“I’m sorry!” Haru says, pushing back from the table to bow, her nose almost to the floor. It’s not enough, not even close but-

It’s the only way thing she knows to make things  _ right. _

_ “ _ Haru-chan…”

“I’m sorry about lying to you,” Haru continues, curling her hands into fists by her head. “I wasn’t trying to make fun of you, or laugh at you or anything like that!”

“Haru-chan-”

“And!” Haru continues on, “when we were in the future, I was just as scared! I didn’t understand what Gokudera and Tsuna were talking about the mafia being dangerous until I saw everyone fighting and-”

“Haru-chan!”

“And I never meant to make you think that I was tricking you but-but!” Haru looks up at Kyouko, who’s crying now too. “It really hurt that you would t-think of me that w-way!” Haru’s voice breaks, echoing the break in her heart.

Because yes, she made mistakes but she did not deserve Kyouko’s accusations. Haru scrubs at her face angrily, trying to make herself stop crying. That’s all she’s been doing today, crying and feeling sorry for herself and she’s tired of it.

A hand touches her shoulder and Kyouko’s throwing her arms around her, sorrys dripping out like the tears wetting her shoulder. Haru grips back just as tight, twisting on her hip to drag herself half onto Kyouko’s lap as their tears wash away the distance between them. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is a paintball match

Their eighty ninth date or so is at the park. It didn’t start off as a date, they just happen to meet there while spending time with their friends (Haru) and family (Kyouko).

Somehow it ends up in Reborn corralling them into a game of extreme paintball, winner take all.

“Ok, I see them,” Haru whispers from the tree branches. Below her, safely crouched on the ground behind a tree trunk Kyouko gives a thumbs up and raises her gun. A flash of yellow catches her sight and the twin splats of the paint balls impacting on Tsuna’s shoulder echo through the clearing.

“Aww, man!” Tsuna cries out in dismay, wiping at the green paint on him. He’s covered from head to toe in bright yellow paint, with a streak of purple near his chest. There’s a noise from behind him and Tsuna shrieks even as Kyouko tucks herself further behind the tree and Haru shifts above her, her own gun trained on the rustling bushes.

“Tenth!” Kyouko relaxes as Gokudera make his way through the bushes towards Tsuna. “Are you okay?”

“Wait, Gokudera-kun, there’s people here!” Tsuna warns Gokudera right as Haru fires, the shot falling short as Gokudera skids to a halt right behind where the paintball hits the ground. Immediately his eyes focus on the tree and with reflexes Kyouko admires and kind of hates right now aims and fires his gun three times at Haru.

“Hahi!” Haru screams as she falls from the branches. Kyouko moves without thinking, getting under her so that they both hit the ground hard, their guns knocked away as they gasp for breath.

“Are you two alright?” Kyouko opens her eyes to see Tsuna leaning over them, worried as Gokudera keeps a wary eye on their surroundings.

“I’m okay! Kyouko-chan are you hurt? You didn’t have to catch me!” Haru scrambles off Kyouko and pats her down for wounds which Kyouko waves off. There are leaves in her hair, and a splatter of paint on her chest and up her neck but apart from that Haru looks okay.

“I’m fine, I’m fine, I just needed to catch my breath.” Kyouko says, meeting Haru’s worried eyes. Haru stares at her but nods, squeezing her hand before letting go and settling back to figure out what to do next. The game is still on.

“Are we prisoners?” Haru asks, looking between Gokudera and Tsuna, who jerks and flails at the idea.

“NO! Besides, its not like it makes much of a difference anyways,” Tsuna pokes at his vest. While she and Haru only have stray paint splatters, and Gokudera is completely clean, Tsuna looks like a walking piece of abstract art.

“Who knows, maybe Sasagawa can distract her brother?” Gokudera offers, looking tempted.

“We aren’t using Kyouko-chan as bait!” Tsuna screeches out.

“WHAT?” Comes the answering roar, one that sounds familiar as Tsuna whitens.

“Isn’t that your brother?” Haru asks.

“Run, RUN!” Tsuna cries out, grabbing Haru while Gokudera grabs Kyouko by the hand, pulling them along as Ryouhei appears at their backs, eyes aflame.

“Sawada Tsunayoshi this is most EXTREMELY not cool!”

Kyouko laughs as they pass by Hibari and Yamamoto who watch them with wide eyes as her brother chases the four of them deeper into the woods and across a small stream. Kyouko skids to a halt looking at the clearing the end up in. Her heart’s beating fast and her breath is short from both the run and the ridiculousness of the situation, but she can’t stop smiling. Tsuna’s looking around the trees, probably for another place to run as the sounds of Ryouhei crashing through the underbrush get louder. 

Well, even if they got captured she wants to win. She nudges Haru with her elbow and nods to one of the trees directly opposite them, with plenty of low branches and cover.

“Gokudera-kun can you get into the tree?” she asks, backing towards the entrance of the clearing as Haru jogs to her tree. Gokudera wavers but looks at where Kyouko stands and where Haru is busy scaling a tree and nods, grabbing Tsuna’s hand to drag him over.

Gokudera takes cover in the trees, boosting Haru up to a spot above him. He climbs up as well, one hand reaching up to provide Haru a foothold while Tsuna looks back and forth as the rest of them work like a well oiled machine.

“Oi, quit moving, you’re giving us away!”

“I’m not, you need to be more caring of a young lady’s constitution!”

“There is only one lady I see, and she’s not here- ow!”

Well, almost, Kyouko sighs, but straightens as her brother rushes forward, Lambo and I-pin trailing behind him. Gokudera shoots up from where he is trying to coax Tsuna up the tree, leaving him alone as Ryouhei bears down on him. From her spot Kyouko can also see Hibari and Yamamoto trailing behind, hands still on their guns.

“Sawada!” Ryouhei roars and Tsuna lets out a squeak of dismay. “What’s this about using Kyouko as bait?”

“Wait really? I didn’t know you had it in you, Tsuna!” Yamamtoto laughs and Kyouko shoots a look at the tree, where no doubt Gokudera is ready to yell in Tsuna’s defense. The tree stays silent and Kyouko nods, refocusing on the fight.

Tsuna in the mean time, is busy dodging Ryouhei’s shots of yellow, a shade lighter than the one he’s currently covered in, to Kyouko’s surprise. Just who’s been targeting Tsuna so much?

At any rate it doesn’t matter, because he brother can’t see her, too distracted by Tsuna and more importantly Yamamoto and Hibari see her and dismiss her once they see her gun pointed towards her bother.

Kyouko takes a breath, inhales and fires.

Several shots ring out at once, and then silence.

“We did it! Woo-hoo!” Haru cheers from the trees, as Gokudera jumps down from his perch, running over to where Tsuna somehow managed to get himself stuck up another tree. Kyouko shakes her head and walks over to her brother, helping him up.

“Kyouko!” Ryouhei looks her over first before smiling wide, despite the bright green splattered over the back of his shoulder. “Good shot, that was most EXTREME!”

“Thanks, Nii-san,” Kyouko says, before heading to the tree Haru is slowly climbing down.

“Did you see that! I got Yamamoto!” Haru calls down, passing down her gun to Kyouko before swinging down.

“That was pretty good,” the boy himself says, popping up behind Kyouko without a sound. “You and Gokudera were working together?”

Haru harrumphs and crosses her arms as Kyouko catches her breath. “We almost didn’t! If you had made another crack about Tsuna-san then the plan would have been gone.”

“What plan? There was no plan!” Tsuna calls out, clinging to a branch while Gokudera starts climbing the tree to help him down.

“Kyouko’s plan, Dame-Tsuna.”

There’s the sharp sound of a gunshot and another shot of yellow decorates Tsuna’s chest, making him release his grip and fall safely into Gokudera’s arms, though they both fall to the ground.

Through all this Kyouko grips Haru’s hand in hers and slowly, carefully sidles them towards her brother, safely away from-

“Herbivore.”

“Hieei!”

“Can’t take the fact that I got you, Hibari?” Gokudera taunts as Hibari stalks forward, tonfas out. Red paint drips down his chest, where a single paintball hit him right over his heart. 

“Gokudera-kun, you’ll make him mad!” Tsuna jumps to his feet as Hibari lunges forward, dragging Gokudera behind him as they run from the irritated boy.

Another gun shot rings out and everyone freezes as Reborn hops down from his hiding spot on in the trees.

“Well, it looks like the game is almost over,” Reborn, now the size of an eight year old, says. They really are growing quickly after the curse broke.

“What do you mean almost? We won right?” Gokudera says, pointing at the rest of them, “We’re the only team with a member that hasn’t been hit yet.”

“But Tsuna’s all yellow! No fair, no fair!” Lambo shouts, his own cow printed shirt covered in a mix of red, blue and yellow.

That sets off the arguing until a sharp shot rings out.

Everyone freezes and looks at Kyouko, who’s smiling brightly with her gun held up and then to Gokudera, who has a smear of green on his arm from where he instinctively blocked the shot.

“Since none of us are clean, it looks like its a tie, right?”

Silence rings and then Haru starts giggling, setting off a chain reaction as Yamamoto lets out a loud laugh from his belly as Gokudera starts apologizing to Tsuna for their defeat. Kyouko smiles, leaning against her girlfriend as they start trailing out of the woods to where Reborn says Bianchi is waiting with food. For some reason Gokudera turns green, trailing behind the group with Tsuna while Ryouhei moves on ahead with Lambo and I-pin. Yamamoto and Hibari walk slowly in between the two groups, far enough away to stay separate but still within eyesight.

“Chrome didn’t come with you? I thought Reborn said he texted everyone,” Tsuna asks Haru.

Kyouko swings her and Haru’s clasped hands back and forth, thinking. “I think she’s hanging out with Hana-chan today,” she says.

“Kurokawa Hana?” Tsuna asks.

“Mmm-hmm,” Kyouko nods. “They’re soulmates you know? I think Hana was saying something about visiting the bookstore.”

“Huh,” Tsuna says, looking thoughtful, though beside him Gokudera shoots her a strange look. He doesn’t say anything though, and she puts it out of her mind. 

Later that night, back at home Kyouko checks her phone and sees a text from Gokudera. 

‘Can we talk?’, it says, and Kyouko sits down at her desk, frowning down at her phone. She and Gokudera don’t really talk - their main point of commonality is Tsuna, what could he want to talk to her about? She jumps when there’s a sudden thump down the hall, frozen still, her heart racing until she hears Ryouhei grumble about homework. The breath leaves her lungs and she slumps way in her seat, brushing her hair back with one hand. 

Just because Gokudera is contacting her and being secretive doesn’t mean its about the mafia, she scolds herself. And even then, she trusts that Tsuna would warn her if she was in danger. 

She taps out a reply and hits send before she can change her mind. 

‘Sure!’ 


End file.
